People play many roles in life. An actor who assumes the same role over and over, can said to be typecast. Scarcely anyone can imagine Jack Nicholson and John Wayne switching roles. Both men accepted the roles into which they were cast early in their careers.


Baby Storm's parents, hoping to avoid the child's being “typecast” based on societal expectations, chose to keep the child's gender private for now. Accusations rang across the English-speaking world: “A psychological experiment”; “raising a genderless child”; “imposing gender neutrality.” In a recent interview with KRIV, Fox 26 (Houston), I wanted viewers to consider a different thought: “How often in history we have put our children in boxes! Or maybe we ourselves have been put in boxes.”


Gross, Jenkin Debate Gender-Neutral Children: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

This post adds ideas not expressed in the short interview:


People worry about Storm's gender socialization. I, however, see great potential in delaying – and perhaps avoiding - typecasting based on the currently-prescribed gender norms.


Is it really so bad to allow children to feel great about themselves – regardless of what society thinks about the youngsters' gender expression, race, religion, national origin, alleged I.Q., or socio-economic level?


Studies document the power of the Pygmalion effect, which shows that teachers' expectations influence students' performance. When teachers believe their students are smart, those students – especially younger students - actually do perform better. In a famous study, the “smart” first-grade group's I.Q. increased 27.4 points, compared to only 12 points for the class without a pre-pasted “smart” label. (See http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9902/pygm_1.htm)


The Pygmalion effect, of course, can also work against individuals and groups. Others' limiting beliefs - typecasting – serve to keep people “in their place,” a priority for those in control to maintain control. One way to typecast others has been with gender roles. As long as girls grew up agreeing to become wives and mothers, power remained with men. Not only did few females aspire to become doctors, but even as late as the 1850's, Florence Nightingale had to fight her own family and English society to establish nursing as a female profession.


Judging and limiting people based on how we perceive them – their mental ability, sexual orientation, race, creed, gender expression, or physical appearance - does NOT serve us. Until we cease “monster-izing” those we do not understand, until we stop holding others to OUR expectations of them, we doom ourselves to fight meaningless wars – in our homes, our communities, and our world.


You bet I'm thankful that some folks just refuse to “know their place.” Hooray for courageous people who have sought and keep seeking the higher good! And, congratulations to Baby Storm and the two older siblings: You CAN be whoever and whatever you choose!